A defiant Lee Bowyer has refused to rule out Charlton making the League One play-offs this season despite an alarming slump in form.
The Addicks sit five points outside the top six, but each of the three sides directly above them have at least two games in hand on Bowyer’s men.
A 2-1 defeat to the division’s bottom side Burton Albion on Tuesday night has left the Addicks languishing in ninth, with some fans calling for Bowyer to be relieved of his duties.
But in an interview with talkSPORT, Bowyer has pleaded with fans to stay patient and believes they will turn the corner sooner rather than later.
“Results aren’t going the way we want them to go. Performance wise we’re not really doing too much wrong, but we’re giving sloppy goals away, and we’re not punishing teams in the opposite box,” Bowyer explained.
“Games are won and lost both boxes, so we’re just not quite there at the moment.
“But we’re working hard – things ain’t always rosy and you don’t win every game.
“We’ve got to be patient as we’re rebuilding here. A lot of things have happened since I’ve been at the club. We just about survived because Thomas [Sandgaard] came in.
“He knows it’s going to take time and we want to get out of this division as quick as we can, but sometimes it doesn’t happen like that. It’s a work in progress.”
Bowyer says the high turnover of players coming in and out of the club has made things a lot more difficult on the field and stresses the rebuild will take some time.
He continued: “We know what’s going on behind the scenes. Everybody just sees your result on a Saturday or a Tuesday and then jump on those things.
“They obviously don’t realise the state of the club before Thomas came in. Since then he’s come in he’s tried to help and rebuild.
“We’ve moved on 12-14 players every summer, and then you have to bring in 12,14,16 in and expect them to gel. It’s tough and it doesn’t always work like that.
“Look at our team – it’s a completely new back four, it’s a new goalkeeper, it’s a new midfield apart from one or two, a whole new frontline and two new wingers.”
Quizzed on whether the play-offs is a realistic aim for this season, Bowyer added: “We’ve got to try and push for the play-offs. That’s always going to be the aim – we’re no different to anybody else.
“It makes it easier when you’re only replacing two or three players every summer and have a steady squad so you can get them to fit into the way you want to play. Even in January we had five [players] coming into the club.
“We’ve been unlucky with results; compared to performances. It’s a results business – I get that. But we’re trying our best and working hard. Things will turn, I know they will.”